Associate Director, Youth Entrepreneurship and Pathways

The University of St. Thomas invites qualified candidates to apply for the position of Associate Director of Youth Entrepreneurship & Pathways within the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship

This position is funded through gifts and/or grants and is contingent upon the availability of such funding and ongoing business needs.

The University of St. Thomas embraces belonging and equal opportunity for all. Our convictions of dignity, diversity and personal attention call us to embody and champion an inclusive environment.  The University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer (EEO).  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, or other protected characteristic.  This commitment to inclusion and equal opportunity is consistent with our mission: Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good.  A successful candidate will possess a commitment to the ideals of this mission.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

The University of St. Thomas offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program, which includes:

• Tuition Remission for employees, spouses, and dependents
• Generous Retirement Contributions to support your future
• Comprehensive Health Coverage including medical, dental, and vision
• Fully Paid Insurance: disability, life, and AD&D
• Paid Parental Leave to support growing families

Salary Range: $68,000 to $84,400

The University of St. Thomas has provided a salary range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The specific salary offered will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Executive Director, this role provides strategic leadership for the Schulze School’s portfolio of youth and pre-college entrepreneurship initiatives, including educator training, school partnerships, and the development and implementation of college-credit pathways for high school students.

The Associate Director serves as the primary integrator of youth-focused efforts across schools, districts, educators, and internal stakeholders. While all academic decisions and curricular ownership remain with faculty, this role operationalizes the processes, training, and partnerships required to deliver high-quality pathway experiences aligned with faculty-approved academic standards. The position strengthens the University’s pipeline by supporting early student engagement, educator capacity-building, and smooth navigation of pathway processes.

This role cultivates strong relationships with high school educators, district leaders, youth-serving organizations, and internal university partners to expand access to entrepreneurship education, strengthen the University's visibility, and advance strategic enrollment goals. Success requires strategic thinking, operational sophistication, an understanding of academic processes, and the ability to lead educator-facing and partner-facing initiatives at scale.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Educator Development, Training & School Partnerships

Strengthen educator capacity and build high-impact relationships with schools, districts, and youth-serving organizations to expand access to entrepreneurship pathways and programming.

• Build, cultivate and manage strong partnerships with high schools, districts, CTE leaders, government agencies and youth-serving organizations who deliver entrepreneurship-focused curricula and programming.
• Lead entrepreneurship educator training and support through bootcamps, workshops, coaching, and implementation resources.
• Serve as the primary liaison to teachers implementing entrepreneurship experiences in partner schools – ensuring consistency, alignment with relevant St. Thomas and other policies, and high-quality student engagement.
• Maintain a deep understanding of secondary education trends, CTE frameworks, district priorities, and market dynamics to guide strategic recruitment and retention.
• Build and maintain a network of educator “champions” who promote Schulze School of Entrepreneurship programming across their communities

2. College-Credit Pathways & Academic Alignment

Provide operational leadership for the Schulze School’s college-credit pathways and ensure alignment with academic standards, institutional policies, and faculty governance.

• Lead the implementation, scaling, and refinement of college-credit pathways (including credit-for-prior learning) in alignment with university and faculty expectations.
• Lead the academic alignment processes – ensuring assessments, documentation, and submission protocols meet university standards.
• Support faculty governance by preparing materials for review cycles, coordinating academic conversations, and ensuring adherence to university policies.
• Guide secondary educators through pathway expectations by providing training, rubrics, and structured processes (distinct from curriculum ownership).
• Collaborate with Enrollment Services, Admissions, and the Registrar to support the end-to-end process from admission, registration, course delivery, credit-awarding and tracking.
• Evaluate participation, equity, student outcomes, and partner readiness to inform strategy and resource allocation.
• Serve as co-instructor on the credit-for-prior learning course sections, fielding logistics-related questions from prospective students and teachers.

3. Youth Entrepreneurship Programming & Operations

Direct the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of youth entrepreneurship programs that introduce pre-college learners to the entrepreneurial mindset.

• Lead delivery of high-impact youth programming (e.g., High School Innovation Days, educator events, on-campus experiences).
• Oversee logistics, workflow systems, and operational processes to ensure high-quality delivery across school sites.
• Manage vendor, partner, and internal relationships (finance, legal, procurement, marketing) to maintain efficiency and compliance.
• Support budget development and resource stewardship for youth programs; ensure donor-funded expectations are met.
• Maintain robust data and reporting systems to track program impact and inform community, donor, and institutional reporting.

4. Strategic Growth, Partnerships & Institutional Alignment

Strengthen program visibility, sustainability, and institutional alignment to support long-term growth of youth entrepreneurship initiatives.

• Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborations that expand reach and enhance reputation.
• Collaborate with Admissions, Enrollment, and DFC to connect programming to institutional recruitment and pathway strategies.
• Work with Advancement to support donor stewardship and communicate program impact.
• Partner with the OCB Marketing team to design targeted outreach and promote student and educator stories.
• Represent the Schulze School at partner events to recruit students and promote youth entrepreneurship and pathways programs.
• Contribute to long-term strategy for scaling youth programming and college-credit pathways locally and nationally.
• Promote scholarship opportunities for eligible students.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, business, public administration, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in program management, secondary/postsecondary partnerships, pathway development, college readiness, youth programming, or related educational initiatives.
• Demonstrated success building and sustaining partnerships with schools, districts, educators, or youth-serving organizations.
• Experience coordinating or supporting college-credit, dual enrollment, PSEO, or credit-for-prior-learning processes (or comparable academic alignment functions).
• Strong skills in project management, relationship-building, communication, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Evidence of working effectively with diverse stakeholders, including educators, faculty, administrators, and community partners.
• Ability to analyze program data, measure outcomes, and use insights to guide decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Commitment to the mission of expanding access, equity, and opportunity for pre-college learners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education, curriculum & instruction, leadership, business, or a related field.
• Experience working within higher education or in an academic support role involving enrollment, student pathways, or accreditation-related processes.
• Prior experience as a secondary educator, instructional coach, or CTE/college-readiness specialist.
• Familiarity with faculty governance, academic policy processes, and credit evaluation standards.
• Experience designing or delivering teacher training, professional development, or educator support programs.
• Experience supporting donor-funded or grant-funded initiatives, including reporting and stewardship.
• Understanding of entrepreneurship education, experiential learning, or innovation-focused youth programs.
• Experience with CRM, LMS, or data-management systems that support pathway tracking and reporting.

HOW TO APPLY

All interested candidates must apply online at https://www.stthomas.edu/jobs/. Follow the instructions to complete an online application which includes creating or updating an applicant profile, uploading a resume, and completing a job specific application.

In light of its commitment to create and maintain a safe learning and working environment, employment with the University of St. Thomas requires consent and successful completion of a background screening.

Official job posting is available at www.stthomas.edu/jobs.